(08/20/2020)

"Ah1 Ah2 Ah Sunset Strip", Spike Jones (1960)
From the album "The Very Best of Spike Jones"

This week's theme: Lawrence Welk

Welk's music I guess would be considered a sort of cross-over between Big 
Band and Polka music.

He had a weekly, hour-long musical TV show from 1951 to 1971.

My high school band teacher appeared on the Welk show when he was a teenager 
and played a tuba solo - (Happy Birthday Stan!)


Lawrence Welk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Welk

The Lawrence Welk Show
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lawrence_Welk_Show


In the 1960s the big macho trip was to be a secret agent, like James Bond, 
but in the 1950s it was to be a private detective like Peter Gunn or Richard 
Diamond.

This parody by Spike Jones merges "The Lawrence Welk Show" with "77 Sunset 
Strip" (a hit detective show).

It's musically funny because of the stylistic clash, jamming together 
high-powered, detective show, modern jazz style, theme music, with polka 
music.
Sort of super "hip" music with super "square" music :-)

If you're too young to remember these shows here's a brief description.

Welk referred to his musical style as "champagne music".

Part of his schtick was to have a "bubble machine" making (champagne?) 
bubbles in the background during the show.

During a polka he would often dance with his "Champagne Lady".

In addition to his orchestra, he often had on (who are parodied in this 
recording):

The Lennon Sisters (a 4 sister vocal group)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lennon_Sisters

Myron Floren (an accordionist)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myron_Floren

Welk was also an accordionist and would sometimes do a duet with Floren.

He had other musicians on as well, not mentioned in the parody, like Pete 
Foutain (jazz clarinetist) and Big Tiny Little (ragtime pianist).

Pete Fountain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Fountain

Big Tiny Little
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Tiny_Little

Welk's show was broadcast from the Aragon Ballroom on Lick pier.


77 Sunset Strip
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/77_Sunset_Strip

In the show, 77 Sunset Strip was a detective agency with Efrem Zimbalist 
Jr., Roger Smith and Richard Long playing the detectives that ran it.

My favorite character was "Kookie" (Edd Byrnes), "the rock and roll-loving, 
wisecracking, hair-combing hipster and aspiring PI who initially worked as 
the valet parking attendant at Dino's, the club next door".

In 1959 Byrnes made a "novelty" recording with Connie Stevens, "Kookie, 
Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb,", a teen pop number that would become the No. 37 
song of the year.

Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kookie,_Kookie_(Lend_Me_Your_Comb)

1959 HITS ARCHIVE: Kookie Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb) - Edd Byrnes & Connie 
Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJVciRRKyAM

Kookie always spoke in "hipster".
"Baby, you're the ginchiest!"

"Just follow the bubbles, dad, they're the only things around here that 
aren't square."